APPLIANCE Synonyms: 71 Similar and Opposite Words

Q: How is the word 'appliance' different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of appliance are implement , instrument , tool , and utensil . While all these words mean "a relatively simple device for performing work," appliance refers to a tool or instrument utilizing a power source and suggests portability or temporary attachment. // household appliances

Q: When is 'implement' a more appropriate choice than 'appliance'?

In some situations, the words implement and appliance are roughly equivalent. However, implement may apply to anything necessary to perform a task. // crude stone implements // farm implements

Q: When can 'instrument' be used instead of 'appliance'?

Although the words instrument and appliance have much in common, instrument suggests a device capable of delicate or precise work. // the dentist's instruments

Q: How do 'tool' and 'implement' relate to one another, in the sense of 'appliance'?

Tool suggests an implement adapted to facilitate a definite kind or stage of work and suggests the need of skill more strongly than implement . // a carpenter's tools

Q: When would 'utensil' be a good substitute for 'appliance'?

While the synonyms utensil and appliance are close in meaning, utensil applies to a device used in domestic work or some routine unskilled activity. // kitchen utensils

appliance

noun

ə-ˈplī-ən(t)s

Definition of appliance next

as in gadget

an interesting and often novel device with a practical use since the invention of the cork, all manner of appliances have been invented for the extraction of these sometimes troublesome stoppers

Synonyms & Similar Words

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as in accessory

something that is not necessary in itself but adds to the convenience or performance of the main piece of equipment an appliance that allows the machine to be used as a sander

Synonyms & Similar Words

Antonyms & Near Antonyms

Synonym Chooser

How is the word appliance different from other nouns like it?

Some common synonyms of appliance are implement, instrument, tool, and utensil. While all these words mean "a relatively simple device for performing work," appliance refers to a tool or instrument utilizing a power source and suggests portability or temporary attachment.

household appliances

When is implement a more appropriate choice than appliance?

In some situations, the words implement and appliance are roughly equivalent. However, implement may apply to anything necessary to perform a task.

crude stone implements

farm implements

When can instrument be used instead of appliance?

Although the words instrument and appliance have much in common, instrument suggests a device capable of delicate or precise work.

the dentist's instruments

How do tool and implement relate to one another, in the sense of appliance?

Tool suggests an implement adapted to facilitate a definite kind or stage of work and suggests the need of skill more strongly than implement.

a carpenter's tools

When would utensil be a good substitute for appliance?

While the synonyms utensil and appliance are close in meaning, utensil applies to a device used in domestic work or some routine unskilled activity.

kitchen utensils

Example Sentences

Examples are automatically compiled from online sources to show current usage. Read More Opinions expressed in the examples do not represent those of Merriam-Webster or its editors. Send us feedback.

Recent Examples of appliance The batteries are commonly found in products including phones, watches, e-cigarettes, hoverboards and appliances. —

CBS News, 14 May 2026 This will put stress on the motor, which may reduce its lifespan and the appliance's, eventually leading to failure and the need for a premature replacement. —

Louise Parks, Martha Stewart, 14 May 2026 Homeowners and renters can receive up to $100,000 to replace or repair personal property, including clothing, furniture, cars and appliances. —

Tanya Babbar, Fort Worth Star-Telegram, 14 May 2026 Electronic waste The E-Waste Management Rules, 2022, apply to electrical and electronic equipment and e-waste, such as home appliances, television sets, and cell phones. —

Aman Kumar, Encyclopedia Britannica, 14 May 2026 See All Example Sentences for appliance

Recent Examples of Synonyms for appliance

Noun

Too often, modern technologies, like inter-device connectivity and artificial intelligence, are shoehorned into gadgets that would be more intuitive to use, affordable, accessible, and/or durable without them.

— ArsTechnica, ArsTechnica, 18 May 2026
Players can lean into quiet infiltration with gadgets and disguises, or push for direct firefights and rooftop chase sequences when the situation calls for it.

— Brian Mazique, Forbes.com, 16 May 2026

Definition of gadget

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applesauce

appliance

appliances

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“Appliance.” Merriam-Webster.com Thesaurus, Merriam-Webster, https://www.merriam-webster.com/thesaurus/appliance. Accessed 23 May. 2026.

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Synonyms of appliance

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